Alberich raised his hand and the shelves shifted position, gliding across the floor as though on hidden tracks. Lady Guantes was herded to one side; Vale and Catherine to the other. Then he and Irene were facing each other, in a narrow corridor lined with burned and decaying books on either side. ‘Well?’ he said.

‘I’m interested in staying alive. What can I offer you?’

He tilted his head like a vulture. ‘What makes you think I have the slightest interest in your offers?’

You’re standing here talking to me, Irene thought, so there’s that. If you really could just possess me, and it was that simple, surely you’d already have done it. She took a deep breath. ‘Alberich . . . I realize you hate me. And I know taking over my body, and using it to destroy everything I’ve ever worked for, would be extremely satisfying. But under the circumstances, I may be more use to you alive than dead.’

‘So what’s your offer?’ His gaze was flat and gave nothing away. ‘Are you going to go down on your knees and beg for mercy? Or are you going to say you’ll be a willing host, if only I’ll let your friends go?’

‘Something a little different.’ Irene made herself focus on her act. She had to believe what she was about to say to be perfectly convincing. She had to lie as she’d never lied before. ‘I’d like to offer you an alternative host, and my assistance in securing it. They’re right here. It’d be easy. I’ll cooperate with you, doing whatever’s necessary – we’d be two Librarians working together, using the Language in tandem.’

Alberich leaned forward, and she saw the flicker of eagerness in his face – not at her offer of a host, but at her betraying herself like this. He looked as if he was savouring her words, evidence of her willingness to debase herself to stay alive. He might claim his motivation in choosing her was pure pragmatism, but he clearly wanted to see her humbled. ‘Go on. Which of your friends will you give up? Your student? Your detective? Your lover?’

‘None of them.’ Irene’s throat was dry as bone. She forced the words out. ‘There’s a second dragon here – Shan Yuan, Kai’s brother. He means nothing to me. You can have him. Just let us go.’ She could hear the panicked, begging tone that entered her voice as she uttered those last few words – and the humiliation of it coloured her cheeks.

‘It’s true there are two dragons in the archive,’ Alberich mused. ‘Probably incapacitated, given the rising chaos levels . . . I haven’t tried transferring into a dragon before. Do you really think I could do it, given that dragons are creatures of order?’

‘How the hell should I know?’ Irene forced herself to lower her voice, to walk closer and lean on his desk. ‘You’re the expert at transferring your essence into other people – or even into worlds like this one. Why not a dragon?’

Alberich leaned back in his chair. ‘What will your lover say if you hand over his brother, so I can core out his personality like an apple and use his body?’

‘You said it yourself. He’s probably incapacitated, probably unconscious – so afterwards, I can convince him it wasn’t my fault. I’ll think of something to say.’ She was talking faster now, desperate to convince him of her sincerity. He’d called her duplicitous – and it was true – but this was her biggest lie yet, against her most dangerous opponent. ‘How often are you going to get the chance to use a dragon? Wouldn’t the body be more resilient than a human one like mine?’

Now she could see the glint of satisfaction in his eyes. But it still wasn’t the thought of a dragon host body that was pleasing him, if indeed he could use one – it was the sight of Irene abandoning all her principles. ‘And if I let you live, and release you and your friends, you’ll actively help me?’

Irene swallowed. ‘Yes. Yes, I’ll draw a new circle for you, I’ll use the Language – whatever it takes. Just tell me what to do. Just don’t . . . not to me.’ She let herself show some of her genuine horror at the very thought of being possessed and used as his puppet.

‘What if your lover does find out you cooperated? Will he still stay with you?’

That’s exactly what you want, she thought. You love the idea of Kai seeing me sell his brother out, then him rejecting me – before you dispose of me in turn. Come on, please, take the bait . . .

‘At least Kai will be alive,’ she said. ‘And I never asked his brother to get involved. He tried to get me to leave Kai, he dragged Catherine into danger – and his family doesn’t even know he’s here. He’s an acceptable loss.’

‘You’re very convincing,’ Alberich said slowly. ‘Before I decide, tell me one last thing. How did you escape the circle? I set it so only my blood could break it.’

Irene raised her bandaged wrist. ‘I used my own blood – and the fact that we’re both Librarians, so metaphorically related.’ A Kipling quote came to mind: We be of one blood, thou and I.

Alberich frowned. ‘That shouldn’t have worked.’

‘But it did,’ Irene said, a little smugly.

‘No, really, it shouldn’t. My work was far more precise than that – metaphors shouldn’t have done the job.’

‘Had you actually tested it before, though?’ Irene couldn’t quite believe she was discussing this with him, as though he was a colleague. ‘On other Librarians, that is?’

His lips smirked, but his eyes were hollow. For a moment his face resembled a skull. ‘Oh yes, Irene, I have most definitely tested it on other Librarians. Shall I tell you some stories about that?’

She flinched. She couldn’t stop herself. The mental image of other Librarians trapped as she was, waiting for their final conversation with Alberich . . . She should never forget who he was. What he was.

‘An improvement,’ Alberich said, as though reading her thoughts. ‘I shouldn’t need to remind you of this again. Namely, that I am giving orders and you are obeying them. Otherwise, I will take your friends apart piece by piece, with you watching, before I deal with you. Do you understand?’

Irene nodded.

‘Say yes,’ he coaxed her. ‘I want to hear you say, “Yes, Alberich,” and sound as if you mean it.’

‘Yes, Alberich,’ Irene said through dry lips, watching him smile.

‘Very well.’ He stood up. ‘I accept your deal . . . if we can make it work. You do understand that if we can’t, then you are – back on the menu, I suppose we could say.’

More than anything else, this confirmed her suspicions. If he truly meant to keep this bargain, he’d have made me swear in the Language. So no, there is no bargain.

Irene didn’t have to feign her nervousness; it was all too real. ‘I get things done,’ she said. ‘You know that.’

‘We shall see. Now come, Ray. Let’s tell your friends where we’re going.’

The bookcases slid back, letting Irene see the others. Vale and Lady Guantes had apparently been talking. Catherine was prodding at the bookshelves, frowning at the condition of the books.

‘Winters, are you all right?’ Vale demanded. ‘You’re as white as paper.’